Cotton picking spindle



United States atent O COTTON PICKING SPINDLE Maurice E. Lindsay, Bakersfield, alif. Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 548,132

7 Claims. (CI. 56-50) This invention has to do with a new and improved spindle for cotton picking machines and a method of making said spindle and is particularly concerned with a spindle that more efiiciently draws said cotton or bolls from a cotton plant and that is more susceptible to dotting action. A general object of this invention is to provide a cotton picking spindle construction that induces the cotton fibers to be engaged with the barbs of the spindle, and which construction facilitates unwrapping of the cot- :ton fibers from the spindle in order to produce a higher yield from the cotton crop. Cotton picking machines employ a multiplicity of picking units, each unit being composed of various elements including the spindles and doffers or doffing wheels. The ordinarymachine has circumferentially spaced series of cotton picking spindles that are rotated and are advanced progressively into the crop of cotton to be harvested. As the spindles are operated, they draw the cotton fibers from the pods, which fibers are wound onto the spindles. The doffers, which operate at a greater speed than the spindles, then unwind the cotton fibers from the spindles so that the spindles are cleaned. It is apparent that it is desirable to collect as much of the ripened fibers as possible on the spindle and to doif said fibers in an efficient manner.

It-is an object of this invention to provide a spindle for cotton pickers that induces engagement of the cotton fibers with the barbs of the spindle by providing clearance ahead of the barbs and thereby allowing greater lead in time in order for the fibers to engage with the barbs. A "greater portion of the periphery of the spindle is exposed and effective to gather cotton-fibers, all without reducing the row or number of barbs.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spindle for cotton pickers that facilitates unwrapping of the cotton fibers from the barbs and spindle body by the provision of the said clearance which provides a relief to the end that the dofling wheels of the machine are allowed to function more efficiently.

An object of this invention is to provide a spindle construction wherein sharp edges and corners are eliminated, which corners in the ordinary spindle adversely affect un- Wrapping of the cotton fibers from the spindle and shorten the life of the doffing wheels. In the present construction, only the active leading faces of the barbs present sharp edges.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spindle of the character referred to that has delayed picking action to allow the spindle to penetrate somewhat into the boll of cotton before wrapping the same onto the spindle. In the spindle provided, the barbs are eliminated from the tip or point of the spindle to allow the spindle to enter the cotton boll the full depth of the tip or point before picking action commences. The cotton fibers are then wrapped onto the spindle and onto the tip or point thus preventing and eliminating roping or twisting of the cotton. That is, the cotton is wrapped out of the boll and cotton plant and is not twisted out.

'- It is still another object of this invention to provide a r 2,823,509 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 spindle that does not injure unopened bolls of cotton. By eliminating the sharp edges on the spindle and by eliminating barbs from the tip or point thereof, the unopened bolls are not caught and damaged by the spindle. With the spindle that I provide, there are no barbs at the tip which would otherwise engage the unripened bolls of cotton.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a construction that induces cleaner cotton picking and results in greater holding power in order to securely retain the cotton fibers on the spindle prior to dofling therefrom. The outer side walls of the barbs are pitched to secure the fibers on the spindle resulting in a cleaner grade of cotton since there is less contact and friction between the cotton bolls and the adjacent vegetation, and, therefore, less staining of the cotton fibers.

The Various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l of the drawings illustrates a cotton picking spindle I embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view with parts broken away and shown in section showing the spindle and the cutter that I have provided for forming the barbs in the spindle. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view with parts broken away and shown in section of a portion of the cutter shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the spindle shown in Fig. 2 and showing the form of the barbs cut therein, and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are enlarged transverse sectional views taken as indicated by lines 5-5, 66, and 77 on Fig. l.

The cotton picking spindle and method of making the same that I have provided, results in a highly improved and more efficient spindle for use in cotton picking rnachinery commonly employed for harvesting cotton crops. Each individual spindle that I have provided is of rugged reliable construction and is free of'frail unsupported parts. As clearly shown throughout the drawings, the spindleX that I have provided is made of a single integral body of material and involves generally, a bearing portion A, a cotton handling cone B, a drive means C, and one or more picking means D. The spindle X is an elongated element generally round in cross sectional configuration with the cone B tapering toward one end of the tip or point portion 12 thereof, and the means C is located at the opposite end thereof.

The bearing portion A is a straight elongate cylindrical part adapted to be rotatably carried in a sleeve or bushing (not shown) and has a smooth uninterrupted outer wall 10 turned concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the spindle.

The cotton handling cone B is a tapered part or body 13 corresponding in diameter with the portion A at its base end 11 and converging to the tip portion 12 of the spindle. The cone B is integral with the bearing portion A and projects from the portion A on an axis coincidental therewith. The cone B is round in cross section throughout its length and has a smooth outer Wall 14 diminshing in diameter as it tapers toward the tip portion 12 of the spindle.

The drive means C is carried by the spindle X at the end remote from the tip 12 and in accordance with the usual spindle construction, is in the form of a bevel drive gear 15. The gear 15 is formed in a flange 16 that projects radially from the end of the spindle X remote from the tip end 12.

The general construction thus far described is made in accordance with ordinary practice and is formed of or heat treated as circumstances require.

However, the

final finishing and/or heat treating of the part is preferably delayed until after the means D is formed therein as hereinafter described.

The picking means D is formedor cut into the. body .13 of the cone B, and, as indicated, is in the characteristic form of circumferentially spaced series of barbs that extend longitudinally of the spindle X. As shown, there is one or more series 20 of barbs, for example, there are three or four such series, and as illustrated, there are three such series. alike and each is machined in the body 13 preferably by cutting or by grinding so that the remaining portions of the exterior or wall 14 of the cone B are undisturbed. Each series 20 involves, generally, a recessed face 25, a plurality of barbs 26 projecting from the face and a lead face 27. In accordance with the method of the invention, the face 25, barbs 26, and face 27 are produced or formed in the spindle X by two simple machining operations.

The recessed face 25 and barbs 26 are formed in the body 13 by suitable machining, preferably hobbing or grinding, and the face 25 is established by forming a plurality of facets cut to the same depth or in a common plane to occur between the barbs 26. Each recessed face 25 is preferably a flat face in a plane offset from the central longitudinal axis of the spindle X and is angularly related to said axis. The face 25 is preferably spaced inwardly from the wall 14 of the cone B and is parallel with a plane coincidental with the outer wall of the cone. Since the cone B tapers toward the tip or point portion 12 of the spindle, the face 25 diminishes in width as it progresses toward the tip portion of the spindle.

The barbs 26 are in a straight elongate series 20, and, as shown, are formed by cutting notches in the body 13, the bottom of each notch forming a facet. As illustrated in the drawings, the barbs 26 are of like longitudinal sectional configuration and each involves an outer side wall 35 facing the tip portion 12, an inner side wall 36 facing the base of the cone B, a top wall 37 defined by the outer wall 14 of the cone B, and a front face 38 facing laterally in the general direction of rotation of the spindle as it operates.

The outer side wall 35 is in a substantially radial plane that is pitched outwardly and forwardly toward the tip portion 12 of the spindle X. Thus, the wall 35 is at an acute angle with respect to the recessed face 25 and joins the face 25 (see Fig. 4). The outer side wall 35 is flat, and the walls 35 and the series of barbs 26 is preferably simultaneously formed in accordance with my method by using a form cutter or gang cutter K, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. By angularly relating or pitching the side wall 35 relative to the normal radial plane of the spindle, increased holding power is afforded to the spindle by virtue of the undercut configuration of the barb, and further, the cotton fiber is more easily released from the spindle since the barbs are disposed to project forwardly as well as outwardly.

The inner side wall 36 may be parallel with the wall 35 but is preferably pitched or angularly related thereto and slants inwardly toward the base 11 of the spindle from the top 37 of the barb to join the face 25. As shown, the side Wall 36 is formed at about a 45 angle with respect to the recessed face 25 and provides what may be termed a sloping inner face that assists in releasing cotton fibers from the bars 26. In accordance with the invention, the edge and corner where the side wall 36 joins the top 37 and face 25 are rounded at 60 and 61, respectively. That is, the edge 60 is convexly curved while the corner at 61 is concave or filleted. It is to be observed that the bar configuration at 60 and 61 facilitates release of the cotton fibers from the spindle when they are unwrapped therefrom by dofiing action.

The opposite side walls 35 and 36 of the barb 26 are cut so that the barb points or faces both laterally and longitudinally of the spindle. That is, the barbs Each series 20 of barbs is preferably are pitched or inclined to face in the direction of rotation indicated by arrow R and are inclined or pointed toward the tip portion 12 of the spindle X. The top face 37 of each barb 26 is formed by the outer wall 14 of the cone B which remains untouched by the machining operation.

In accordance with the first operation of the method that I have provided, the barbs 26 are formed in the spindle body 13 by means of the cutter K. The cutter K is operatively carried on a rotational axis 65 and is adapted to remove material from the spindle X along a cutting plane 66. The cutting plane 66 is coincidental with the plane of the face 25 to be formed in the spindle body 13 and parallel with a plane coincidental with the 'outer wall 14 of the spindle. As above described, the outer wall 35 is pitched forwardly as it extends outwardly, the angle of pitch varying as circumstances require. In the case illustrated, the wall 35 is pitchedat 3, and the cutter K is a cone shaped cutter, the outer wall or cutting edge 67 thereof being tapered at 3 to the rotational axis 65. As shown, the cutter K is, therefore, operated to rotate on an axis angularly inclined 3 relative to the cutting plane 66. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, the acute angle between the face 25 and wall 35 is 87 when the wall 35 is pitched at 3".

The cutter K is preferably a form-cutter characterized by a plurality of recesses 68 in the cutting edges 67. The recesses 68 are shaped so that the cutter removes the necessary material from the body 13 in order to .form the barbs 26, each recess 68 being characterized by an outer cutting edge 80, an inner cutting edge 81,

a top cutting edge 82, and a bottom cutting edge 83 (see Fig. 3). The bottom cutting edge 83 is coincidental with the cutting edge 67 above referred to while the top edge 82 is spaced inwardly from the cutting edge 83. In practice, the edge 82 clears the work or spindle X to the end that a sharp point is formed where the faces 35, 37, and 38 converge. As in the case illustrated, where the wall 36 is formed at 45, the rear cutting edge 91 is at 45 relative to the cutting edge 67, the points of joinder between the cutting edge 81 and the edges 82 and 83 being rounded at 62 and 63 in order to form the rounded edge 60 and corner 61, respectively. Further, the edge 82, since it clears the spindle at the said point which is formed, tapers inwardly and forwardly from the fillet at 62 and joins the cutting edge at a suitable fillet 84. The fillet that I provide makes for a rugged cutter configuration.

In accordance with the invention, it is to be observed that the cutting edge 80 is in a plane normal to the central rotational axis of the cutter K. With the cutting edge 80 normal to the axis 65 of the cutter and with the cutter angularly tapered or cone shaped, and with the cutter and spindle X related as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the barbs 26 with the undercut or pitched Walls 35 are formed. Further, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the row of barbs 26 are cut at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the spindle, in which case the axis of the spindle and the axis of the cutter are angularly related horizontally as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is to be understood that if a broaching tool is employed in place of the rotating cutter K, the cutting edge corresponding to the cutting edge 80 may be inclined as desired.

The front face 38 of the spindle is perpendicular to the face 25 and is preferably disposed in a plane extending longitudinally of the spindle X which plane pitches inwardly from the wall 14 to the plane of the recessed face 25 and is preferably a hooked face in order to more aggressively draw cotton fibers from the pods. The front face 38 is pitched from a 5 to 35 angle and provides a point 40 of acute angle where the topwall 37 joins the front face 38, and may be said to be undercut as clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. With the barbs pointed as above described, and with the slanted faces .35, 36, and 38, dotting action provided by separate dotting means or wheelsis facilitated.

The lead face 27 that I have provided is formed so as to induce the movement of cotton fibers into engagement with the barbs 26 and is a curved face that extends and curves forwardly to merge with the outer wall 14 of the cone B. The inner portion 41 of the lead face 27 is preferably flat and may be in the plane of the face 25 while the forward portion 42 of the lead face 27 curves outwardly in the direction of rotation of the spindle and is volutely curved and merges with the wall 14. In the preferred form of the invention, the flat inner portion 41 of the lead face 27 is spaced substantially below and is parallel with the recessed face 25 and extends outwardly in the direction of rotation to merge or continue in the forward curved portion 42 of the lead face. As shown, the curved wall 42 merges substantially tangentially with the outer face 14 (see Figs. 1 and 7) toward the base end portion of the cone B and is of uniform cross section throughout the length of the cone. It will be apparent that the curved face 42 does not merge with the outer face 14 throughout the entire length thereof but meets the face 14 at a corner that becomes progressively sharper toward the tip portion 12 where little or no curvature is left (see Fig. However, the necessity for such curvature or lead decreases progressively toward the tip of the spindle X since the barbs 26 are higher in proportion to the diameter of the cone B.

In accordance with the method that I have provided, and as clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings, the front face 38 and faces 41 and 42 of the lead face 27 is formed by a single second machine operation, preferably by milling or grinding. In Fig. 7, the peripheral portion of a cutting wheel 50 is shown (in phantom lines) that is adapted to be rotated and engaged with the spindle X to simultaneously cut and form the face 27 and the faces 38. The wheel 50 has a flat front face 52 and a formed peripheral face 53. The face 52 is used to cut the front face 38 of the barbs 26 while the formed peripheral face 53 is used to cut the curved face 27. When the curved lead face 27 has a flat portion 41 and a curved portion 42, the peripheral face 53 of the wheel is provided with a flat portion and an adjoining curved portion corresponding in configuration with the faces 41 and 42, respectively. The wheel 50 is angularly related to the spindle X as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings in order to cut the front face 38 .in the spindle at the angle above described.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide the spindle X with a tip or point portion 12 adapted to delay picking action of the spindle X. As shown, the tip portion 12 is of substantial longitudinal extent and is a plain cone shaped portion devoid of barbs 26. Although the cutter 50 cuts the longitudinal face 27 through the tip portion 12, there are no barb notches cut therein by the cutter K. Therefore, the spindle must enter the cotton boll to the full depth of the tip portion 12 and to the first barb 26 before picking action takes place. Thus, unripened cotton bolls which have not burst open sufficiently are not acted upon by the spindle or damaged in any way.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a highly improved cotton picking spindle that picks only ripened cotton, a spindle that warps the cotton onto the body thereof without roping or twisting the cotton fibers, a spindle that more securely retains the cotton boll on the body thereof, and a spindle that is more readily doifed. By using the spindle that I have provided, a greater yield of cotton is obtainable from the crop without damaging unripened cotton so that the same field of cotton may again be harvested, and the bolls of cotton that are picked by the spindle are securely wrapped onto the spindle and are easily doffed therefrom so that the cotton is not abused and is of higher quality.

Having described only a typical preferred'form" and application of my invention, 1 do not wishlto be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking portion with a base and with an outer wall converging to a tip portion and having a recessed face therein disposed longitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said portion and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said portion and projecting from said recessed face, each barb having an outer side wall in a plane facing toward the tip portion of the cone and an inner side wall slanted inwardly toward the base and joining the recessed face and facing toward the base of the cone, the edge and the corner being substantially rounded where the inner wall joins the outer wall of the cone and the recessed face.

2. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking ,portion, picking means in the said portion and comprising a series of circumferentially pointed barbs extending longitudinally of said portion, and a substantially elongate tip portion projecting from the picking portion and having a smooth exterior devoid of barbs.

3. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking portion tapered to a terminal end portion of substantial longitudinal extent, said picking portion comprising a series of circumferentially pointed barbs extending longitudinally of said picking portion, said series of barbs terminating at a point spaced from the terminal end whereby said terminal end portion of the body has a smooth exterior.

4. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking portion with an outer wall and having a recessed face therein disposed longitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said portion and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said portion and projecting from said recessed face, and said picking portion having a longitudinally disposed lead face extending outwardly from said recessed face in the direction of rotation and curved volutely to merge with the said outer wall of the cone.

5. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking portion with an outer wall and having a recessed face therein disposed longitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said portion and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said portion and projecting from said recessed face, and said picking portion having a longitudinally disposed lead face extending outwardly from said recessed face in the direction of rotation and curved volutely to merge with the said outer wall of the cone at the base portion of the cone.

6. A cotton picking spindle of thecharacter described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking portion with an outer wall and having a recessed face therein disposed longitudinally thereof, and picking means in the said portion and comprising a series of barbs extending longitudinally of said portion and projecting from said recessed face, and said picking portion having a longitudinally disposed lead face with a flat portion extending outwardly from said recessed face in the direction of rotation and having a curved portion extending volutely to merge with the said outer wall of the cone.

7. A cotton picking spindle of the character described, including, an elongate body having a cone shaped picking portion with an outer wall and having a recessed face therein disposed longitudinally thereof, and picking means 77 References Cited in the file of this patent it: tahe saignrtiitrutiionazlalnd cimprtiising 2; series gf barbs tex- UNITED STATES PATENTS n mg in y o sat por ion an PI'OJEC ng from said recessed face, and said picking portion having 882*: i i g 1901 V21 longitudinally disposed lead face extending outwardly 5 54 PP e y Jam 1909 from said recessed face in the direction of rotation and 3,08 7 Bardw-eu et a1 June 1925 having a volutely curved portion of 'uniform cross sec- 2,546,185 Hagen 1951 tion merging with the said outer wall of the cone. 2'716320 swundeflich 1955 

